Dialog of Two African American Activists, Essay Example

The dialog today will be based on two very distinguish educators Booker T. Washington and W.E.B DuBois concerning their views on voting and education for African Americans after Emancipation. Today, Booker T. Washington will start the dialog:

Book T. Washington

My idea of education is not based solely on intelligence. One must have action to achieve any type of personal or educational success. In order, to learn at the same level of our counterparts, we need segregation to build our own educational opportunities and institutions

W.E.B Dubois

I respect your opinion or position but I am in disagreement with your educational philosophies concerning blacks to stop fighting to vote is very wrong. We can never be equal or make an impact on the political front without the ability to vote.

Book T. Washington

The belief that fighting for educational access, voting, and civil rights are just an agitator. The blacks should be fighting for economic independence not civil rights and voting. The power in educational arenas can be equal only if the black races achieve financial independence and equality. The northerners and southerners that are in control that make changes in the country have the financial wealth such as property ownership.

W.E.B. Dubois

Mr. Washington, the only way equality can be achieved by blacks are in  areas of human dignity and respect, educational opportunities, political inclusion and personal fronts is through making our legal vote mean something in an election. This comes with educational access with equal opportunities.

Booker T. Washington

I understand your logic Mr. Dubois but it is flawed. With voting rights for African American people, we would be many years away from making a difference. The white community will fight to the end to keep us from coming to the polls while many African Americans will be killed on the way to the polls. In addition, there is no win-win option for giving uneducated the power to vote.

W.E.B Dubois

Mr. Washington, African Americans have the basic voting intelligence to determine which person will benefit them, which does not mean their lack of educational background has no bearing on being involved politically.

Booker T. Washington

No, they must be able to understand the political system to make an intelligent decision in the voter’s poll. There do not have the intellect yet to make a proper voting decision. Consequently, it would be more sensible to accept segregation using that opportunity to re-educate ourselves, create our own voting polls, our own educational institutions with our own black teachers. We can have more access while we combined financial resources to have a chance to be segregated controlling our own futures. African Americans can gain advantages from becoming businesspersons and propriety owners.

W.E.B Dubois

While your intentions are noble but you are trying to create a utopian, using African American as business and property owners is ridiculous and impossible at this time in history. To think that financial ownership will allow African Americans a voice in political, business, and government issues is completely flawed. You will not have a voice in any decisions concerning your new business and property ownership because you cannot vote.

Booker T. Washington

Mr. Dubois your militant views just cause more resentment andconfrontation, which infuriates the southern whites. Your continued push towards educational opportunities and voting rights will be the downfall of our people. The forcing our way will not result in equality only pain and suffering.

W.E.B. Dubois

Mr. Washington the ripples of voting will ensure all African American people have a voting right which will lead to educational equality, voting rights, political inclusion and gained respect from society as a whole. To purse a different path of resistance because whites are uncomfortable is the proper path because with agitation, and confrontation brings change.

Booker T. Washington

Mr. Dubois, it is clear that we will never agree on the issue of African Americans having voting rights and on education. However, we both have some good ideas but we differ on how to best move the African American population forward as equal citizens. We do agree that lynching must be stopped and opposing racial violence. I can agree we will both be instrumental in the advancement of African Americans.